Glass-lifting or carrying device



May 20, 1947- s. 'BREWSTER Er AL 2,420,811

GLASS-LIFTING OR CARRYING DEVICE Filed March 19, 1946 j u I VENTORS 2 BY www we@ Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PATE NT ori-ICE GLASS-LIFTIN G OR CARRYING DEVICE Sol Brewster and William Miller, New York, N. Y. Application March 19, 1946, Serial- No. 655,631

` 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device to be used in lifting or carrying panes of glass or other materials of similar shape, and has particular relation to a device of this type, which may be firmly attached to the article to be lifted or carried by suction and may be separated from said article by relieving the suction.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be firmly attached to` a substantially plane and smooth surface of an article by means of a disclike element consisting of elastic, soft rubber, or similar material, said element being placed on said surface and subjected to suction. Another important object of this invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned type, in which the degree of suction to which the disclike element is subjected may be adjusted to the weight and physical character ofthe article to be lifted and/or carried.

A further object of this invention consists in providing a device of the above mentioned type, which is of sturdy construction and consists of relatively few and simple construction elements.

Other objects and the advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification and claims and the appended drawings which show by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lifting device according to the invention, in inoperative position;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a section along line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I is a circular disc of soft rubber or other elastic material of rubber-like character, which preferably consists of two or more laminated sheets of rubber or the like. As shown in Figure 3, a circular plate 2, of smaller diameter than disc I, is embedded in disc I. This plate is rigid, consists preferably of metal, and is rigidly connected with a preferably cylindrical stem 3. A cup-like member generally designated by reference numeral 4, rests on the upper surface of disc I while the other circular surface of the disc I is exposed. This cup-like member consists of one piece. It has a spherical portion 5, a cylindrical portion 6, and a flat top portion l, the latter being provided with a central opening and an inturned tubular liange 8 which is .threaded on its inner surface and adapted to receive adjusting knurled at I I, and with an outer thread registering with the inner thread of flange 8. The adjustng member 9 also carries a washer 2l and a lock-washer 22. The cylindrical bore of element 9 is adapted to receive stem 3, which is freely movable in this cylindrical bore. A cam lever I2 bifurcated as at I3, is pivotally connected with stem 3 by means of pivot I4. Upon turning this lever from its position shown in full lines to the position Shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, the normally flat disc I is formed into the cupped shape shown in dotted lines, as a consequence of the plate 2 and stern 3 being lifted by turning cam lever I2. By forming the normally flat disc I into cupped shape, suction is created between the exposed surface of disc I and the plane surface of the article to be carried, on which the disc I rests, and the amount of this suction may be decreased or increased by turning circular flange 4Il) clockwise or counter-clockwise, respectively, and thus lowering or raising the adjusting member 9. The adjustability of the device is important, as it has been found that a moderate amount of suction is sufficient in handling relatively light articles, for example glass panes, whereas a strong suction effect, which would even .be harmful in handling glass panes, is necessary in lifting and carrying heavy articles.

As shown in Figure 3, the spherical portion 5 of cup-like member 4 has a reinforced lower circumferential edge I5, the flat annular surface of which rests on the upper Surface of disc I. The outer diameter of this annular surface may be equal to or is preferably somewhat smaller than the diameter of disc I.

The inturned ends I6, I6 of a U-shaped bar I1 provided with a handle element I8, are pivotally connected to the cylindrical portion 6 of the cup-like member 4, and serve as a handle in lifting and/or carrying the device and .the article, l

to which the device is attached by suction.

In order to operate the device, itis placed with the exposed flat surface of disc I on the smooth, plane surface of the article to be lifted or carried, the device being in the inoperative position best shown in full lines in Figure 3. Lever 9 is then turned to the left, viewed in Figure 3, in order to press the exposed surface of disc I against the surface cf the article, lift stem 3 and plate 2 connected therewith, and thus form disc I into the cupped shape and create the necessary suction. In this condition, the exposed surface element 9. This adjusting element 9 is a tubular of disc I adheres firmly to the surface of the article to be lifted or carried, and such adherence will last until the original flat shape of various modifications Without departing from,

the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In a device of the character described, in combination a normally fiatgdiscylike member consisting of an elastic rubber-like material, with a rigid plate embedded in said disc-like member, and rigidly connected with a centrally arranged stemiforming. a; right. angle With.the surfaces .of tlie disclike member, a cupflike member consist-- ing vof one ,.piece,l resting onY one Vsurface ofHthe.

disc-like member, having aJsphericalV portion,A a

cylindrical portion, a at .top portion, and an` inturnedtubular flange internally threaded andY centrallyarranged .insaid top portion, a tubular adjusting member provided With'an outer thread and a centralbore and adapted to be screwed into and adjustable in .said tubular flange,` said stem. projecting Vthroughand being freely movable inA said centralbore, a cam lever pivotally connectedA with the free end of the stem and coacting with the top of said tubular adjusting member for forming the iiat disc-like member into a cupped shape, and a handle attached to the cylindrical portion of the cup-like member.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination a normally flat, circular disc-like member consisting of an elastic rubber-like material, with a rigid plate embedded. in said disclike member, vand rigidly connected with a centrally arranged stem forming a right angle with the surfaces of the disc-like member, a cup-like member consisting of one piece, resting on one surfaceothe disc-like member, having a spheri- Aca1,.,portio r r,of adiameter smaller than that of being freely movable insaid central' bore, a cam leverpivotally connected Withrthe vfree endo the' stem` and coacting with the top-ofrsaid tubularv adjusting member for formingthe at disc-like'- member into a cupped shape, and a handle attached to the` cylindrical portion of' the cup-like member;

SOL -BREWSTERg WILLIAMl MILLER;- 

